PHILADELPHIA — Zack Wheeler allowed one run and two hits in seven innings while Bryce Harper, Alec Bohm, Nick Castellanos and David Dahl homered as the Philadelphia Phillies cruised to a 12-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.
At 50-26, the Phillies became the first National League team to reach 50 wins.
“We were able to jump out on them early and knowing that Zack was going to go out and have a great start, it was really good for us,” Harper said.
Castellanos had a season-high five RBIs and hit his second homer in as many days. Harper added three RBIs and hit his 18th of the season into the second deck in right field in the third inning during a 4-for-5 day. Bohm followed Harper's shot with his eighth of the season.
The top five spots in the Phillies starting batting order — Kyle Schwarber, Trea Turner, Harper, Bohm and Castellanos — were a combined 10 for 19 with 10 runs and 10 RBIs as Philadelphia reached double-digit runs for the fifth time this season. Seven of the Phillies' 14 hits were for extra bases.
“Everyone in the lineup had a great offensive day,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said.
Wheeler (9-4) bounced back from a struggling performance in Baltimore last Sunday, when he allowed eight runs and four homers in just 4 1/3 innings. He didn't allow a runner until the fifth and struck out eight.
“I felt a lot better than the last time out,” Wheeler said. “I worked on a few things between starts that slowed my rhythm down and I felt a lot better today.”
“His stuff was excellent and he got a lot of soft contact,” Thomson said.
Tucker Barnhart had an RBI single in the fifth inning. Jake McCarthy had Arizona's other hit.
“It was one of those days where it was just a couple of hits,” Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said. "A very stubborn pitcher we were facing and we never got anything going. You saw what happened on the mound. We made a lot of mistakes and (they) took advantage of it.”
Diamondbacks starter Tommy Henry (2-3) allowed six runs and six hits in 3 2/3 innings.
Dahl — who replaced Castellanos in the eighth inning — connected on a two-run drive in the bottom off Barnhart, who went from behind the plate to the mound.
TRAINER’S ROOM
Diamondbacks: C Gabriel Moreno (left thumb sprain) was placed on the 10-day IL after leaving Friday's game in the sixth inning. Jose Herrera was recalled from Triple A Reno. ... OF Lourdes Gurriel Jr. didn't play after leaving Friday night's game with elbow soreness. He is considered day to day.
Phillies: INF Edmundo Sosa was removed from Saturday's game in the sixth inning after being struck in the left elbow by a Scott McGough splitter. The club announced a bruise and said X-rays were negative. ... RHP Taijuan Walker has a blister on his right index finger that has limited his ability to throw and command his sinker. Thomson said the club will know as soon as Sunday whether Walker will make his next start on Wednesday at Detroit or go on the injured list.
UP NEXT
The series finale will see the Phillies send LHP Cristopher Sánchez (4-3, 2.91 ERA) to the mound against Arizona RHP Slade Cecconi (2-5, 5.90), a day after Sánchez agreed to a $22.5 million, four-year deal for 2025-28.
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AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Arizona sports
The city of Phoenix is home to four major professional sports league teams; The NFL's Arizona Cardinals, NBA's Phoenix Suns, WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury and MLB's Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Cardinals have made State Farm Stadium in Glendale their home turf and the Footprint Center in downtown Phoenix is home to both the Suns and the Mercury. The Indoor Football League’s Arizona Rattlers play at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
Phoenix also has a soccer team with the USL's Phoenix Rising FC, who play at Phoenix Rising FC Stadium in Phoenix.
The Valley hosts multiple major sporting events every year, including college football's Fiesta Bowl and Guaranteed Rate Bowl; the PGA Tour’s highest-attended event, the WM Phoenix Open; NASCAR events each spring and fall, including Championship Weekend in November; and Cactus League Spring Training for 15 Major League Baseball franchises.
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